Cahuilla ATF-152

Cahuilla

An Indian tribe of southeastern California.

(ATF-152 dp. 1,240; 1. 205'; b. 38'6"; dr. 15'4"; s. 16
k.; cpl. 85; a. 1 3"; cl. Cherokee)

Cahuilla (ATF-162) was launched 2 November 1944 by Charleston Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Charleston, S.C.; sponsored by Mrs. W. V. Ballew, commissioned 10 March 1945, Lieutenant A. C. Schoelpple in command, and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.

Cahuilla’s first service to the Navy was a brief tour as antisubmarine attack teacher at Norfolk, VA. From there she sailed 18 April 1945 towing Pegasus (AK-48) for Pearl Harbor. After delivering her tow 24 May, the fleet tug sailed for Guam, where she took a string of pontoon barges in tow for Okinawa. From 26 July to 6 August, she served to escort convoys and as rescue tug for the chips passing through the dangerous waters off Okinawa, subject to the desperate suicide attacks of Japanese aircraft. The end of the war found Cahuilla at sea, bound for salvage operations at Eniwetok, from which she returned to take part in the occupation of Nagasaki, Japan, until 16 October. From that time she was based on Okinawa for rescue and tow operations until 14 February 1946.

Cahuilla continued to offer towing service to fleet units, and rescue work to naval and merchant ships, calling at Pearl Harbor, Kwajalein, and ports of the west coast and Panama Canal Zone until January 1947. She was decommissioned at San Diego Calif., 27 June 1947, and placed in reserve. Cahuilla was transferred to Argentina on 9 July 1961; she serves as Comandante General Irigoyen.